Nothing to Attain - The Path of Buddha
Summary
In this episode, a community member shares reflections from Ram Anderson’s *Nothing to Attain*, focusing on the Lotus Sutra’s parable of the wealthy man and his son. The talk explores the tension between our inherent Buddha nature and the "shoveling shit" of daily practice, using the dialogue between Dongshan and Uncle Mi to contrast sudden insight with gradual cultivation. The speaker emphasizes that our ordinary lives are not mistakes but intentional expressions of the bodhisattva vow, where we harmonize sagehood with the messiness of being human to benefit all beings.
Topics discussed
Introduction and context for Ram Anderson's book
The Lotus Sutra parable of the wealthy man and his son
Hakuan's song and the nature of wandering
The parable of the jewel sewn into the coat
The tension between inherent nature and training
Faith as a verb and the work of practice
Dongshan and Uncle Mi: The rabbit story
Personal reflection on sudden joy and insight
Gradual vs. sudden awakening: The commoner metaphor
Dongshan's view: Nobility temporarily in poverty
Suzuki Roshi and the concept of old friends
Life is no mistake: Sages in ordinary life
Bodhisattva vows and intentional ordinariness
Personal story: Receiving the name River
The vow as an expression of innate nature
Balancing humble training with knowing one's nature
Closing remarks and donation appeal
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